Amusement apparatus.



A. A. WELSH.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

2 PHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor,

Attorneys Witnesses By w A. A. WELSH. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 2, 1909.

Patented Apr. 26,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses: v

Attorneys ANDREW E GRAFAM coy, PMOTO-LITHDGRAPNERS WASmNGYDN a. c

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ANDREW ARCHIBALD WELSH, OF GANANOQUE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW ARCH'IBALD IVELsH, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Gananoque, county of Leeds, in the Provinceof Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAmusement Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to amusementapparatus, and more particularly to the mechanical horses used 011roundabouts and like devices.

Broadly speaking, it comprises a framework, a mechanical horse mountedto have a galloping motion in the framework, and means for imparting anydesired gait or motion to the horse.

In order to more clearly disclose the 0011- struction, operation and useof the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawingsforming part of the present application.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, like referencecharacters designate the same parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective of the invention, in use;Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with the frame omitted; Fig. 3 is a planView of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 4 is a detail of part of the operatingmechanism.

The main object of the invention is to provide a mechanical horse havingoperating mechanism which will give the horse, as near as possible, allof the natural motions of a horse in any desired gait.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a framework forsupporting the mechanical horse, and the several operating parts. Theframe, of course, is supported in the usual way. Within the frame isswingingly suspended, by links 3, a rod 4:, which rests upon shafts 5,provided with eccentrics 6. The rod 4 is provided with posts, eachcomprising two duplicate sections 7, provided with heads 8 adapted tofit into the concave portions of yieldably supported yokes 9, mounted onsprings 10, seated on longitudinal bars 11. The two sections 7 of eachpost are held in parallel relation by the collar 12, and each isseparately operated by an eccentric 6 on the shaft 5. The eccentrics arearranged in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1909.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910. Serial No. 510,945.

pairs, and those of each pair are so disposed that the two sections 7 ofeach post will not be moved to the same heightat the same time, thuscausing the yokes 9 to tilt toward one side, as shown in Fig. 4. Theyokes 9, of course, support the body of a mechanical horse 13. The pairsof eccentrics, on the parallel shafts 5, are so disposed, of course, asto cause a horse to rock, the rocking and tilting movement combining toreproduce a close imitation of the natural motion of a horse in anydesired gait.

In order to prevent possible disengagement of the parts, the yokes areprovided with inwardly projecting shoulders 14, adapted to engage theunder face of the heads 8 and so limit downward movement of the same.

The springs 10, supporting the yokes 9, are of such strength as to raisethe yokes to a considerable height when no rider or weight is on thehorse 13. Of course, as the yokes move upward, the shoulders 14: carrythe post sections 7 with them, and so raise their lower ends above thepath of travel of the operating eccentrics 6, rendering the wholemechanism inoperative. Even when there is a rider on the horse, it maybe desired to stop the motion. To this end, a particular mechanism hasbeen provided, comprising a movably mounted saddle 15, a rod 16journaled in the fixed bars 11, a bell crank 17 journaled on the rod 16,a link 18 pivotally connecting one arm of the bell crank, and a pad 19resting against the under face of the saddle 15. To the upper end of thevertical arm of the bell crank 17, is connected one end of a rope orother flexible device, which is passed over a series of pulleys 20, andbrought back to position, where it may be grasped by the rider as arein. By pulling on the rope or rein, the pad 19 will be raised and mostof the weight lifted from the body of the mechanical horse and supportedby the rod 16. As the weight is lifted from the body of the mechanicalhorse, the springs 10 will act to raise the.

same, and so render the gait mechanism in operative.

In order to render the stirrups readily adjustable to various desiredlengths, a series of hooks 21 have been successively arranged on thepommel of the saddle, and are adapted to receive and support the stirruprope 22, which passes across the pommel and over the pulleys 23.

The shafts 5 are each provided with drive pulleys 2 adapted to be drivenin opposite directions by the crossed drive belt 25, one of the shaftsbeing driven by belt and pulley connections from the supporting wheel ofthe frame 1. A belt shifter mechanism may be used, together with a loosepulley, if desired, in order that the shafts 5 may be renderedtemporarily stationary, so that the eccentrics may be adjustedrelatively to one another.

It is clear that changes may be made in the construction, arrangementand disposition of the seve all parts of the invention, and it is meantto include all such within this application, wherein only a preferredform has been disclosed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by ctters Patent, is

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a framework, arod movably suspended from said framework, sectional. posts extendingthrough said rod, shafts mounted in said framework and provided witheccentrics adapted to engage and ope ate the sections of said posts, anda meehanical horse supported by said posts.

2. An apparatus of the character de scribed, comprising a framework,longitudi' nal bars mounted in said framework, yokes movably supportedon said bars, a mechan ical horse mounted on said yokes, and means formoving said yokes.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a framework,longitudinal bars mounted therein, spring supported yokes movablymounted on said bars, a mechanical horse mounted on said yokes, andmeans for moving said yokes.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a framework,longitudinal bars mounted therein, movably mounted yokes supported bysaid bars, a mechanical horse mounted on said yokes, a rod swinginglysuspended from the aforesaid framework, sectional posts extendingthrough said rod and adapted to engage the aforesaid yokes, shaftsmounted in said framework and provided with eccentrics adapted to engagethe aforesaid sectional posts to operate the same, and means for drivingsaid shafts.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a framework,longitudi nal bars mounted in said framework, a mechanical horse movablysupported from said bars, a rod journaled in said bars, a saddle movablymounted on the aforesaid mechanical horse, a bell crank connected to theaforesaid rod, a link connected to one end of said bell crank, a padconnected to the free end of said link and adapted to engage the undersurface of said saddle, and means for operating said bell crank to movesaid pad upward against said saddle and so raise the weight from themechanical horse.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ANDRE? ARCHIBALD VELSH. lVitnesses Boer. W. ROUGH, O. ROUND.

